Without a voice
by Rocheleh
Summary: The donkeys at Pleasure Island aren't the only ones without a voice. Read about Gideon, Honest John's mute sidekick. Read about his relationship with the sly Honest John and his thoughts throughout the story of Pinocchio.
1. The Wooden Boy

"Ah, Giddy, listen to the sound of children, on their way to the fountains of knowledge!" said Honest John, his favorite anthropomorphic fox, spinning his cane in that strange way he always does, "School, a noble institution, after all, what would this stupid world be without-"

An advertisement for Stromboli's show was posted. Honest John knew him well and they were both sly and greedy.

"Stromboli! So that old rascal's back in town! Haha! Remember when we tied strings on you and passed you off as a puppet?" Honest John laughed.

Gideon smiled at the memory, but felt a little bit of contempt for not being able to speak. He started to wonder if he would have ever stood up to Honest John if he could talk. Sure, he had ways of getting them money so they could get along, but he wasn't ever sure if his methods were right.

"We nearly pulled one over on him that time, haha!" he spoke again, "Oh, look, a wooden boy."

The boy's joints clanked together as he skipped along with a book in one arm and an apple in his hand.

"A wooden boy!" Honest John realized and ran closer to observe, Gideon following behind.

"A live puppet without strings! That thing ought to be worth a fortune to someone. That's it, Stromboli!" Honest John realized, "If we play our cards right, we'd be on easy street."

Gideon smiled and nodded. Easy and Street were two words that seemed to appeal to them both.

"Quick, we let him off!" he whispered and pulled Gideon by his cane.

They waited until the boy was near them. Gideon took out his club (this often came in handy).

"No, no, stupid!" Honest John took the club and hit him on the head, something he _hated_, "Don't be rude."

"Shh, Giddy, play along," he said, turning to him and sticking out his cane, "Ah, yes, Giddy, as I was saying to the Duchess, only a-"

"Ah!" the wooden boy said, tripping and dropping his things.

"Oh, my, my, my, I'm terribly sorry," the fox apologized in a phony tone, "I do hope you aren't injured!"

"I'm all right," said the boy.

Gideon couldn't help but wonder what was in his pocket. He stretched out the pocket, seeing what's inside when Honest John hit him with the cane.

"Oh, quite the scholar I see!" Honest John continued, biting the apple and holding the book upside down, for he was mostly illiterate and knew only some letters of the alphabet. At this point, Gideon was glad he kept his literacy a secret, "Looky here Giddy, a man of matters!"

Honest John gave the boy the book and asked him of his whereabouts.

"I'm going to school!" the boy said proudly.

"School?" the fox asked, "Well then, you probably don't know about the _easy_ road to success, do you?"

"Na-uh!" the boy replied.

"No? I'm speaking, my boy, of the theatre! Here's your apple."

The boy now held an apple core and grimaced. The apple was probably for the teacher.

"I'm speaking of music, applause, faaaaaame."

"Fame?"

"Yes, my child, I could see your name in lights! Lights, six feet high! Uh, what is your name?"

"Pinocchio," the animated puppet replied. At this point, Gideon had a little compassion for the boy.

"Pinocchio! P! I! N! O! U, uh P, I, N, O, oh haha. We're wasting precious time!" Honest John said, "Onto the theatre!"

Honest John starting singing, "Hi diddly dee, an actor's life for me. You get a golden watch and a diamond chain, a high quality silver cane, hi diddly day, an actor's life is gay, it's great to be a celebrity, an actor's life for me!"

Several times, Gideon had to catch up with them. Oy, if only little Pinocchio knew what he was getting into.


	2. Deals

"Hi diddly dee, an actor's life for me!" the puppet sang with enthusiasm as Gideon sported a fake, childish smile.

Honest John kept singing gleefully and entertaining the puppet when they all heard a whistle.

"Wait, what was that?" the fox asked, looking upward.

Gideon soon found a little cricket in clothes sitting idly on Honest John's torn hat. Gideon found his club and spied the little bug.

"Oh it's Jiminy!" Pinocchio said, "Whatchya doing up there?"

"Jiminy, what, who, who? Jiminy? Up where?"

The cricket saw the cat and shushed him. Gideon crept up to the cricket on Honest John's hat while the fox was busy trying to convince Pinocchio that there was indeed nothing up "there". Gideon raised his club when the cricket frantically leaped off. It was too late. Gideon pounded the hat right over Honest John's face. He heard grumbles and the puppet disappeared. Right now, he didn't give a shit about the puppet. Honest John struggled to get his fat head out of the hat when Gideon lifted up the torn top to hear what the fox had said.

"GET ME OUTTA HEREEEEE!"

Gideon let go of the flap and took Honest John's cane, standing right on top of him (in retrospect, this wasn't the best idea). He used the cane in attempt to separate the fox's head from the hat when he realized yet another use for the club. He hit the top part of the hat with the club with such force that it sent Honest John flying. He hit a tree, bruising his stomach and sending him into a shallow pond just below. He soaked most of his clothes and fur and came toward Gideon with rage. He started shouting incessantly at Gideon, hitting him several times with the cane. When Honest John once again became preoccupied with the puppet, Gideon checked his arms and back for bruises under his fur. Yup, they were there and they were _always_ there. He held his arms in remorse as Honest John called Pinocchio, soon following him. They soon found the wooden boy.

"Ah, there you are!" Honest John, happily pointing at him with his cane. The boy smiled.

They kept going and singing, trying to find Stromboli's location. Gideon remembered something on that poster saying what place he would be and directed them that way. When Honest John saw Stromboli in all his fat, Italian glory, he gently patted Gideon on the head. Gideon couldn't decide whether this was rewarding or patronizing, but this thought was soon interrupted. Honest John started negotiating with the puppet master and received a small sum of money. The fox handed over the puppet and introduced the puppet master, who offered a small piece of candy to the boy. Pinocchio thanked him and explored the stage, which was still covered with red curtains. He started getting bored and started tapping his feet rhythmically, much to Stromboli's amusement. Honest John came back to Gideon, giving him a few coins to spend on some snacks. Gideon happily agreed, for he was starving.

He approached a nearby snack stand and bought some candy for him and Honest John. He kept some spare change in his pocket and explored the place. The stage curtains were still down and some of Stromboli's crew was setting up some chairs for the audience. A few musicians were polishing their instruments and practicing some pieces to play during the performance. He smiled at them.

Stromboli's multiple gypsy caravans were parked just outside the building and peeked into a few windows. In one, there was a table with bottles of various alcoholic beverages lined up neatly. Gideon licked his lips. The places smelled nice, but then again, it was all relative, because Gideon was used to wearing the same clothes for weeks, patching them up with whatever was found when they tore. Some cheese and meat was set on a chopping board with a sharp knife deeply set into the meat. Some old puppets were near some axes, some puppet limbs neatly set alongside coals for fire. He wanted a little puppet, all of the sudden, one resembling little Pinocchio. Maybe if he wished, it could be brought to life.

"Gideon, how long have you been here?" Honest John surprised him, not sounding too pleased, "And did you by anything for old Honest John?"

Gideon nodded, holding a candy he bought for him. The fox seemed pleased. He ate the candy in one gulp and patted Gideon on the head. Still, the mute cat looked back at the luxuries sitting in that gypsy caravan and frowned.

"Aw, don't worry, Giddy. We'll pull a few more stunts and soon we can buy nice things like that. We'll even have some nice clothes."

Gideon wasn't sure whether or not he should believe Honest John anymore. Honest John stuck with him since he was a mere kitten, yet he always felt like there was a power imbalance. Honest John took the lead while Gideon was a mere sidekick to be beaten. Honest John pulled Gideon away and they headed to a nice bar for some drinks. Some guys were playing cards, others involved in a game of pool and some just plain drinking and beating each other up. Still, this place was a bit nicer than Gideon was used to.

"How 'bout a cigar, Giddy?" the fox offered and he took it, lighting it and inhaling deeply.

He coughed and Honest John patted him on the back, laughing hysterically in his drunken stupor.

"Ay, Giddy, you could never smoke! Haa haaaaa!" he laughed, nearly falling off his chair. His hat fell off his head and Gideon put it on, making fun of Honest John. The fox was too drunk to notice anything.

"Now, now, Giddy. Go look for our next scheme," he said and Gideon ran out of the bar.

He encountered Stromboli's show yet again and his heart jumped at the sight of Pinocchio performing. He waved, but he wasn't sure if Pinocchio saw him. The music sounded nice and the boy looked adorable up there, even if he sounded inexperienced.

"I got no strings to hold me – ahh!" the boy sung and tripped, getting his nose stuck in a floorboard.

Gideon winced at the sight and saw the audience of older men and their slender, younger female counterparts laughing. He fled and looked around, again noticing that open window in the caravan, once again craving foods of luxury. He turned around and spotted an older man arranging business with someone suspicious. The old man, holding a whip near his side, read something and smiled. Gideon crept closer to hear the conversation.

"Yes, I have some arrangements for the boats to meet us at midnight," he told a man, "Although I need some handymen to help me with some _business_, if you know what I mean?"

Gideon ran, pretending to bump into the man. He fixed his clothes and dusted himself and the man off, smiling sheepishly.

"So you're a friend on Honest John," the man smiled, "Tell him to meet me at the old bar we used to go to and we can arrange a good deal."

Gideon nodded, racing back to the bar in hopes of finding Honest John a little more sober. He found the fox sitting alone in a corner, counting his coins gleefully. He tapped the fox on the shoulder with a big smile. The fox seemed pleased.

"Gideon, what did you find?" he asked, "I trust it's something good."

Oh great, Gideon thought, a game of charades.

He pretended to be crippled.

"An old man?"

Gideon nodded. He pretended to be writing and talking. He even exaggerated his lip movements and facial expressions.

"Giddy, you aren't making sense!"

Gideon huffed. He pointed down and then at his watch.

"Is meeting us here? When?"

He shrugged.

"Now what? Did he tell you what we have to do?" Honest John leaned forward in curiosity.

He shrugged again. He found the moneybag Honest John had and shook it. He then stood up and opened his arms to say "larger".

"Ooohhhh," the fox slurred, "I hope this is a good deal."

He took another sip of beer and slipped the moneybag back in his pocket. He patted Gideon on the head and he forced a smile.

"You did good, Giddy, you did good."


	3. As Boys

The man Gideon saw earlier arrived at a late hour. When he arrived, Honest John was once again drinking gleefully at the bar, drunk off his ass. Gideon had joined in on the merrymaking, for he was relieved. If this man whom he had made a deal with had come through in terms of business, then both Honest John and Gideon would be able to avoid making shady deals for a while. If this "while" lasted long enough, then Gideon would have enough time for formulate a plan so he could abandon his dishonest roots and land a solid job. Once he had a solid job, he could find a mate and support a family. He had seen human families taking occasional picnics once before, but the fact that the yearning for such a thing only struck him now both confused and surprised him.

Honest John once caught Gideon gazing at a husband and wife carrying for a young daughter and took him aside. Once they were alone, Honest John had reminded him, "You and me are the only family we need", thus invalidating Gideon's suppressed desire. Although Gideon was happy to listen then, for he was young and inexperienced, he had grown tired of it now. When he saw Honest John chugging down yet another jug of beer, he hoped that nothing would anger him. If that happened, then Gideon would be beaten for sure.

Gideon's heart nearly leaped out of his chest when the man arrived. He opened the door widely for a heavyset British man. The fat man sported hair whiter than snow (which Gideon had seen once when he and Honest John were conducting a deal with other beggars in England) and a red coat adorned with two sets of buttons running down the front. The Englishman (or so Gideon thought, by his accent) loosened a blue scarf and adjusted his single-feathered hat, taking a long drag from his pipe. Gideon tapped Honest John on the shoulder, pointing to the red-coated man.

"Is he our next?" Honest John asked, slurring the next word. Gideon nodded and Honest John nudged him.

"He better be a good deal," said the drunkard, who let out a loud burp.

The fat man took a seat beside Honest John and ordered some beer, taking only one gulp before letting Honest John describe his adventures.

"It's great to be a celebrity, an actor's life for me!" Honest John nearly shouted before cracking up heartily, "And the dumb-shit fell for it! He still thinks we're his _friends_!"

The fat man, whom he had learned to refer to as the Coachman, listened with interest. Even though the Coachman tapped his fingers, feigning impatience, Gideon could detect the light in his eyes.

"And Stromboli paid us this much!" he laughed, pulling out the sag of coins, which was somewhat depleted, "That shows you how low Honest John will stoop."

"How would you blokes like to make some _real_ money?" asked the Coachman, who pulled out a huge sack of coins. Gideon, in his drunken state, could have swore anyone within a ten mile radius was able to hear the _clunk_ sound the sack produced when it hit the table.

Honest John's eyes gleamed brighter than the sun when that happened, "Well, who do we have to, you know, off?"

The Coachman laughed, "No, nothing like that, although your willingness _is_ comforting."

The Coachman looked around suspiciously before whispering in Honest John's ears. Gideon leaned in as well, hearing snippets.

"I'm collecting stupid little boys."

_Sounds like that puppet child._

He kept hearing more snippets.

"The disobedient ones that ditch school – You see I'm going to – you help me with – and I'll pay you then – and then I take them to Pleasure Island."

"Ahh, Pleasure Island," Honest John said with glee, and then in a surprisingly sober moment, he reacted with shock, "_Pleasure Island! But the law, what if they–"_

"Oh no," Mister Coachman comforted, "You don't have to worry, they don't come back. _AS BOYS!"_


End file.
